Choosing Your First Bento Box

The beginner’s guide to choosing the perfect first bento box. By the end of this post, I guarantee you’ll find a bento box that’s your perfect match!

So, you want to make your very own bento box. Maybe it’s for your boyfriend or husband, who goes and eats fast food if not provided with a nutritionally-balanced lunch (if so, welcome to the club). Or maybe it’s for your picky daughter or son, who’s lunch box is filled with untouched food every time you unpack it after school. Whatever the reason, making a bento box for your loved one is a smart, delicious choice, and I wholeheartedly welcome you to the Bento Club!

However, there’s just one little problem…

You don’t have a bento box.

Well, I have some good news for you: you don’t actually need a bento box in order to start making and enjoying your own bento creations! Technically, all you really need is a portable, sealable container that’s capable of holding food. (I know, mind = blown.) I bet you already have some suitable contenders sitting in your kitchen right now. Things like plastic tupperware containers, empty (and cleaned) tubs of Cool-Whip, margarine, or yogurt, heck, even cardboard containers from last night’s Chinese takeout would fit the bill.

But, while these options may be cheap and convenient, they lack the feeling of “fun” you get when you have a real bento box. I mean, it kind of feels equivalent to carrying around a Louis Vuitton knockoff. That’s why, in my opinion, it doesn’t really feel like a bento box unless you pack your food in a bento box. So, I really do recommend you start off by getting yourself the real deal. (Because, unlike the real LV, getting a real bento box won’t break the bank.)

Now, let’s get down to business: It’s time to choose your very first bento box! In case you’re curious, this was my first bento box:

I was looking for something that my boyfriend could take to work with him and not be embarrassed about eating from, so I thought the cherry-wood finish was the perfect man-approved design. I still use it (and love it) to this day!

Bento boxes come in all sorts of colors, shapes, and sizes, and can be made from a variety of materials that vary in how easy they are to clean and maintain. Sound overly complex? Friend, I’ve got your back. Listed below are my top 12 choices for first-time bento box buyers, and every single one has been personally purchased, tested, and (most importantly) approved by me. I pinky promise you, there’ll be at least one to suit your unique needs.

The Modernist

This sleek and stylish bento box comes in a variety of colors, so you can color-coordinate it with your designer handbag, or get men to eat from it without feeling like it’s detracting from their masculinity.

Every piece of this bento is dishwasher-safe, which is a HUGE WIN in my books.

Monbento produces some of the best quality bento boxes I’ve ever owned, so you can trust it’ll do it’s job, and do it well.

So there you have it, folks– my top bento box choices for first-time buyers. Of course, there are many, many more bento boxes out there to choose from, but I picked these specially from my collection because, well, I truly believe they are perfect choices for first-time buyers. Basically, I did all of the research for you. (You can thank me later. Or send me a box of pocky.) And once you make that fateful first purchase… let me know! I wanna see your awesome bento box! We can fangirl over it together, k? 😉

Should you have any further questions about purchasing bento boxes, feel free to leave a comment on this post.

PS: If you’re wondering about the who/what/where/when/whys of bento supplies, then I highly recommend checking out the official Love At First Bento Shopping Guide – it’ll definitely have everything you need to start making some adorable bentos.

DISCLAIMER: This page contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!), which helps to keep this site running. Thank you for supporting Love At First Bento!

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Comments (4)

Lan | MoreStomach BlogAugust 24, 2017

hi. i’ve been quietly obsessing about bento for awhile and only just recently took the plunge with actually attempting it (for some reason it seems so daunting!) i wanted to stay away from plastic containers, even if labeled food safe or bpa free etc. i’m rather leery of silicone too. i’m not sure about taking proper care of wood, and stainless steel can’t be heated up in the microwave. i happened upon glass containers that are already sectioned which gives me some guidelines for portion control. maybe one day i’ll splurge on a real authentic wood bento but until then i’ll stick with what i have. i’m really enjoying your videos and tutorials.

Hey there, Lan! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the videos & tutorials, thanks for letting me know 🙂 And nice job on taking the plunge into the world of bento boxes, that’s super awesome! I totally get how they can seem a bit daunting (I still feel that way sometimes, lol!) – hopefully some of my tutorials will help make them seem a little more approachable. I have more on the way that will be looking at creating basic bento box design elements, so keep an eye out!

And I can totally understand your concerns over the plastic and silicone. Have you seen this glass bento box? I haven’t tried it myself, but it looks like a really nice, durable one 😀 If you ever do want to look into purchasing some wooden or bamboo bento boxes, feel free to message me, and I can help you out and explain how to care for them. 🙂

About me

Meet Shannon, a budding bento box artist who’s passionate about creating bentos that are both delicious and adorable. She has an unhealthy obsession with Lolita clothing, all things Hello Kitty, and stuffed animals. Learn More >>